Course of Action
by AndromedaMarine
Summary: “What’s wrong, Messer?” I suddenly became aware of the fact that he was but three inches from me. He looked like a popsicle in his windbreaker and jeans. “Don’t you have any sense to dress for the weather?” DaLi
1. Streetlights into Tomorrow

**Course of Action by AndromedaMarine**

_Streetlights into Tomorrow_

The frigid twilight air nipped viciously at our skin, not caring that the white flurries had already declared themselves intent on soaking our clothes. Glancing to the left, I observed that Danny's ungloved hands and unprotected nose had morphed into the same shade of pink from the cold. Although I had known that the streets of the Big Apple, especially during twilight hours, were almost like an arctic village, my partner and I briskly walked down the sidewalk which was poorly illuminated by the streetlights that seemed to beg for replacement. I didn't regret my decision to live here, let alone to work at the crime lab. I wondered why Danny didn't own gloves – or perhaps he did and simply forgot to bring them to work.

I took pity on him and slipped my wool gloves off, handing them to him. Danny stared at me like I was handing him my life on a silver platter; shocked. He shook his head, snow sadly clinging to his brown, gelled hair. He confused me with his warm smile.

"'S okay, Montana. Keep them." Maybe he'd forgotten that his coat lacked pockets. He popped the jacket's collar and huddled deeper into its folds.

"Don't be modest, Messer. You're freezing." I thrust the gloves at him.

He stopped walking and gazed sadly at the slushy ground that had grown near-black from the New York foot traffic. "I'm fine."

This wasn't normal Danny. The white flakes had laid claim to his shoulders and hair, dusting him in a thin layer of snow. I shook my head, stepping in front of him. He looked up, his glasses fogged. "Danny."

He tried smiling but failed when an unexpected tear made its way onto his flushed features. I lifted my now-ungloved palm to his face and took a deep breath when he leaned into my hand, his eyes closed. His freezing grasp shocked my wrist as he kept my palm stationary. "Montana." The nickname had become more than that for us.

"What's wrong, Messer?" I suddenly became aware of the fact that he was but three inches from me. He looked like a popsicle in his windbreaker and jeans. "Don't you have any sense to dress for the weather?"

He chuckled, but it fell into silence when he pressed his lips against my palm. The feeling was abrupt and intense – his touch gave me the overwhelming urge to kiss him. "I believe you, you know," he said quietly, his other hand finding my cheek. He must have read my confusion because he continued. "You said that no matter what happens we can't fight the future."

Surprised that he'd remembered my words from almost a year earlier, my lips parted in a slight smile. "Why are you refusing the gloves?" I returned the conversation to topic, but one part of my mind was intrigued by his words and whatever significance they held.

He grinned, the expression normal finesse for him. "Because if I play this right I won't need them."


	2. Regret's Finale

**Course of Action by AndromedaMarine**

_Regret's Finale_

Somehow those few precious seconds when I could have comprehended his following course of action disappeared, and the next thing I knew the cold, biting air invading my mouth and lungs had been replaced by Danny's contrastingly warm lips. It felt wrong. It felt _right_. His icy hand slid around my neck, pulling me closer, and I understood his words. _I_ was the glove. I couldn't blame his logic – but perhaps his decision to kiss me senseless had been driven by regret and guilt.

I can only speculate, but since Reuben's death and his confession about involvement with Rikki Danny had seemed overly-emotional. If this was regret's finale – I was quite impressed. That was about all I could form before my brain melted into a pool of passion and I found myself kissing him back rather...ahem...fervently.

Guilt went out the window in an instant.

The end of the kiss was tantalizingly slow; his lips lingered on mine until the last possible moment. His bright blue eyes penetrated mine, searching for some sort of reaction other than my most obvious one. My hand moved on its own, eventually touching his frosty skin and intertwining our fingers. "Danny," I whispered, involuntarily leaning towards him.

"Yeah, Montana?" he answered with a question, brushing a lock of my hair behind my ear with one finger. I shivered, but not from the cold.

"Let's do some serious talking," I replied carefully, willing myself not to kiss him again. "My apartment's closer."

At first I thought I saw Danny's expression falter for a moment. He nodded. "Sure."

We resumed our walk and, leaving my hands ungloved, I shoved our tangled fingers into my coat pocket. I saw him relax and sigh out of the corner of my eye.

The kiss was regret's prelude.


	3. Spectre

**Course of Action by AndromedaMarine**

_Spectre_

Everything was crystalline. The spidery patterns on the window only fascinated me more; even as I fogged breath onto the pane it didn't melt. Meaningless whispers had blown around my room like a raging blizzard not a few hours previously. Maybe he was to be another thread on the tapestry of my life, but I secretly hoped he'd be the final design. My bare back tingled by the simple thought that he'd made me his – and I'd made him mine. I scrutinized the glass carefully, finding shapes and patterns that didn't really exist.

He was still asleep. I twisted my head to gaze upon his brilliantly smooth skin marked by a few memorable scars. He squirmed a tiny bit, making the corners of my lips twitch. Those hands had held me; made me feel safe. The clock read five thirty. I was glad today was Sunday; both Danny and I wouldn't have to go into work. Most likely I wouldn't want to leave the apartment because of the icy chill that had swept through New York carrying snow with it.

I left the bed, dragging the sheets with me for vain privacy. The sun would not rise for a few more hours, giving me the perfect excuse to crawl back to Danny's warm side, but I was compelled to the window. Pinpricks of light glowed in the distance, the streetlights of yesterday dim in memory. The blotches of yellow were obscured by the thick swirl of snow, and for a moment I thought I saw an image of my past self down there in the light, looking up at the new me – the me that had a life with Danny in it. I blinked and my counterpart had disappeared.

It took me many minutes to understand what little my spectre had told me. Without Daniel Messer I was lost in the ocean of evidence; the desert of DNA; the abyss of work; to slip into the life I'd given up when I first met him, that had been replaced by a social life that'd grown into a love life.

The thought amused me. While I couldn't imagine life without Danny Messer after meeting him, I certainly remembered the dullness and tug at my emotional leash during life before our introduction. The irony almost shocked me. Significance of company had grown from miniscule to elephantine.

I stared at the patch of snow where I'd glimpsed my non-existent spectre, hoping to see it again.

Danny startled me when his fingers ghosted down my bare back. I hadn't heard him rise from the folds of the quilt, but stealthiness was in the nature of a cop. That little part of me said to keep Danny in my life; to not let this get in between us at work; to make this more than a one-night stand. I grasped his hand and held it against my cheek, still watching the swirls of frozen water float to the streetlights and into the darkness that reminded me of the life I'd left behind with my spectre.

I was home.


	4. Almost Irrationality

**Course of Action by AndromedaMarine**

_Almost Irrationality_

For any CSI discretion was a hard thing to obey. But even worse – it never slipped past others with the skill. Christmas and New Years passed without a single issue – even meeting his parents went smoothly. My guttural feeling of terror never left, though, every day when I walked into the lab. Terror that lab policy would tear our fledgling relationship (and for Danny, anything that made it to the fledgling stage deserved credit) apart, and throw us in opposite directions. I would never want that to happen.

A façade of separate cars for three whole months had gone seemingly unnoticed by the team, and aside from my and Danny's departure within a few quarters of an hour between us Don didn't acknowledge his exposure to our secret. Internally I was overjoyed that the detective had the good sense to keep to himself, but now that he was privy to the clandestine relationship I couldn't help but worry. I tried to concentrate on my current line of work for Mac; but try hard as I might my thoughts continued to drift in Danny's direction.

I was tempted to out myself to Mac Taylor – to tell him everything that had gone on between Messer and myself. I knew and repeated to myself that, rationally, it was the best choice to make considering my relationship with my partner. But irrationality drove me, and kept me from disclosing the closely guarded secret. For a moment an epiphany came upon my mind and told me that the current chapter in my life (the chapter in its totality) was almost irrationality. Despite the whispers fueled by Adam's strange obsession with playing matchmaker between Danny and me (again I thanked Don for keeping it from Adam as well as Mac) inside I knew that the cold autumn day three months ago was the best decision I'd ever made.

Nevertheless, I knew I'd have to tell Mac sooner rather than later.

I wanted Danny in on it – facing Detective Taylor alone was a formidable task despite his fatherly influence over the lab. I placed the items in my hands back on the table so I wouldn't drop them in my pensive state.

Three months with two surprises... I could imagine most of the reactions within the team; Adam would probably faint from lack of oxygen to the brain while he hyperventilated...

I felt Danny behind me; his presence evoked a certain feeling within my belly whenever he was around. "Danny," I said quietly. "It's time to tell them."

He wrapped his arms around my stomach from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Definitely."


	5. Moment of Truth

**Course of Action by AndromedaMarine**

**Author's Note: This is the **_**last chapter **_**– no more after this! **

_Moment of Truth_

We waited until our shifts were over. I asked that Mac, Stella, Sheldon and Don be called together so we'd have the support of friends when the news was made clear. I waited until I was sure that Adam had left the lab before I even walked into Mac's office; I thought I saw a glimmer of amusement on Don's face.

Danny stood beside me protectively.

"Danny, Lindsay," Mac acknowledged. "What's it you've got to say?"

I took a deep breath. I felt Danny's hand on my back, and I found the courage to say everything. "Danny and I are engaged," I revealed, smiling as Stella's eyes widened and Sheldon's lips pulled into a grin. Don just smirked. Mac's reaction was the one I was waiting for, though. He had a fatherly smile on his features.

"Congratulations. Danny, you look like you're about to explode. Say something."

Danny's breath shook. "There's something else. We're having a baby."

I could just imagine the look on Adam's face after hearing that one. Unconsciously my hand hovered over the almost unnoticeable bump on my stomach. So much had changed since that cold autumn evening. So much had changed in three short months. Danny and I would have our child in six and a half months, I would be married in eight; and when the proper time came, so would Mac and Stella.

_When Adam was finally let in on the secret he fainted right in the middle of the lab, and when he came to he fainted again after looking at me and the engagement ring now adorned on my left ring finger. I smiled and relaxed into Danny's strong arms, content with the life I'd chosen over the spectre and the streetlights of yesterday. I chuckled. Irrationality suited my life, and the moment of truth had passed. _

_I have a family._


End file.
